On The Run
by NoGirlSoSweet
Summary: Shortly after the end of X3, Kitty and Pyro find themselves running from the law.
1. Escaping The Police

-1Kitty sat at a lonely table in the mall's food court, an untouched order of French fries in front of her with a tiny cup of ketchup sitting beside it. She was never one to run away from problems but somehow she found herself there, away from Bobby Drake.

Had she been a fool to believe that they had had something? It wasn't just one moment they'd shared, but several. He was there to hold her hand at the Professor's funeral. He had sat and listened to her while the tears still lingered on her cheeks. He had even frozen the fountain in the school's courtyard over so that they could ice skate just like she had at home. It had seemed like something developed, but what happened to it?

Rogue.

She sniffled as she thought about the older girl. Bobby had abandoned all of the moments they'd shared the moment Rogue stepped back into his life, a changed mutant or, actually, not a mutant at all. She'd been cured and her touch no longer had the power to drain an individual's life force. Bobby sure took advantage of the situation. He acted on years of suppressed sexual tension, kissing her and brushing his fingertips over her skin. They'd done more than that, Kitty imagined, and it drove her to tears. What else could she do but get away?

The shopping mall was more Jubilee's territory than _hers_, but she found it to be a good escape. The chatter of strangers blurred together in a comforting sort of white noise and all around her were vibrant colors and sights. Even though she wasn't much of a fashionable girl, she found it enjoyable to look at the clothing in the stores' display windows.

Kitty took a French fry and bit off the crunchy tip. It had been a while since she had enjoyed fast food. It was unhealthy, of course, being fried and covered in salt, but it was good to eat for a change. Unfortunately, her broken heart had shrunk her appetite. She pushed the fries away from her propping her elbows up on the table and burying her face in her hands. She sniffled and her sniffles soon turned into silent tears but all of that stopped when she felt something wet on her elbow. Kitty dried her tears with her shirt sleeve and looked down to see her elbow in a puddle of ketchup.

"Great…" She murmured, shaking her head. Could the day get any more miserable? She examined the ketchup on her shirt, dabbing at it with a cheap one-ply napkin until it was just an slightly wet stain. She was glad that she'd worn white that day. All she would need was a little bleach and it would be as good as new.

Kitty slid her chair out from the table, standing up. She didn't have anything with her, she just wasn't a 'purse' kind of girl. She walked over and pushed open the glass doors, exiting the mall and hailing a taxi.

------

"Here," Kitty instructed the cabby. "Stop here." She slipped him the cab fee through a hole in the wire mesh separating the driver's area from the passenger area. "Thanks," She smiled even though the driver looked totally indifferent.

They'd stopped at a Walgreens' store, a place Kitty remembered as having just about anything one could ever want to buy. Surely they'd have one of those bleach pens that got rid of stains with just a little wipe.

The doors opened on their own having been alerted of Kitty's presence by the little motion detector above the doorway. A casual smile formed on her face as she breezed into the store, but it disappeared as she was jolted by a loud, harsh voice.

"Stop right there!" She jumped a little looking where it had come from, completely caught off-guard when she saw that it was none other than John Allerdyce, a person she'd been in a battle against just a few weeks ago, and he looked twice as surprised as she did. He recovered quickly, quicker than Kitty, and a ball of flame appeared in his open palm. "Empty the cash registers!" He commanded the frightened women behind the counters. They obeyed, eyeing John fearfully as they removed the money from their registers.

"John…?" Kitty murmured. She knew he'd turned to the 'dark side', so to speak, but she imagined him as being above armed robbery.

"Shut up," He glared at her, looking with his eyes and not turning his head.

"Calm down for a second, John." She pressed him with a gentle voice, taking a hesitant step towards her enemy. "You don't want to hurt anybody."

"I _will_." He insisted. "I'll hurt someone if you don't _be quiet_." Kitty believed him, stopping where she stood and silencing herself. She could phase through his fire, he knew that, but she couldn't reach the other customers or the Walgreens' employees. They were vulnerable and she didn't want to see them hurt.

One of the women started crying, trembling as she handed John several handfuls of paper money. He shoved the money into the deep pockets of his hoodie jacket, eyeing everyone in the store, especially Kitty. She stayed put, her hands slightly raised in front of her to show that she wasn't making any quick moves. Her eyes drifted back towards the door, though, as she heard the sound of sirens gradually growing louder.

"John," She warned him, her hands slowly falling to her sides again. "The police--"

"Shut _up_, Kitty." He insisted, taking money from another of the employees. Kitty just shook her head, wondering why she had warned him at all.

The whole thing seemed like a dream. People were crying quietly to themselves, shaking with fear and praying that John - _Pyro_ - wouldn't burn them to death. Kitty somehow managed to be brave and keep her cheeks dry. She'd been in battles before and had countless practice sessions in the Danger Room but she'd never been involved in something like this before. It seemed like a television show or maybe a movie but nothing that she'd ever imagined happening to her in real life.

Then, somehow, it took a turn for the worse.

"Freeze, mutant!" A policeman shouted, holding his gun in front of him like he was ready to use it. There were four other armed officers standing in positions behind him, all brandishing their weapons with a look of hate in their eyes. They were probably one of the many humans who just didn't tolerate mutants existing in a mostly human world.

Kitty gasped, looking worriedly from the police back to John. She didn't want him to die. Silently, she edged closer to him, planning on phasing through any fireballs he threw in her direction.

"Freeze…?" John sneered, laughing a little at their threats. He refused to acknowledge his own vulnerability to their guns.

"Sir, extinguish the fire immediately or we _will_ fire." The officer cocked his gun, trying to show that he was completely serious. John responded by throwing a ball of fire at the man's feet. Instead of backing away in fear, he glared at John, looking him right in the eyes, and made a move like he was going to fire.

"No!" Kitty shouted, practically leaping over and embracing John tightly as the bullet phased through his chest and right out his back. John shivered a little as he felt the bullet pass through his body. It felt strange. He gazed up at Kitty, a look of surprise on his face as he did so. What the hell was she doing helping him out? She was one of the good guys.

She didn't really know what she was doing, but Kitty gripped his hand in hers, running as fast as she could right through the miniature army of policemen and into one of their still-running cop cars. John's mouth seemed to be perpetually open in shock during all this, but he took his seat in the car in spite of his surprise and rolled down the window just in case he would have to throw fire at those who chased after him. Kitty, of course, gave him a look that could kill.

"No fire." She cautioned, driving the police car as best as she could. People seemed surprised that a police car could drive through traffic quite literally, passing through one car after another making it almost impossible for anyone to follow them close behind.

The whole thing was something new to John. He held tightly to Kitty's free right hand so that he could also pass through traffic. It was a strange feeling having objects pass right through him. He couldn't find any words to describe it properly. Even stranger was the fact that Kitty Pryde was helping him get away from a crime scene. Of course, he wouldn't doubt it if she drove the two of them straight to the police station. She was a do-gooder. He expected it. But then…

"Where are you staying?" She quickly glanced over at him, turning just as quickly back to looking down the road.

"What do you-- Nowhere. I drift." He explained, shaking his head in confusion with the whole situation.

"Super." Her eyes narrowed and she clenched her jaw tightly. "Really great." She had planned on driving him to his hideout or his home, wherever he'd been staying since the disbanding of the Brotherhood, but now he had nowhere to go.

"We'll stop here and walk the rest of the way." She stated it like she was in charge and expected John to follow her without question. After all, he couldn't phase through bullets without her holding his hand.

"Walk to where?" He hesitated to open his door and get out, waiting to evaluate her plan. "No offense, Kitten, but you're not an expert on evading the cops."

"And you _are?_ I thought all you knew was how to hide behind Magneto." She crossed her arms, glaring bitterly at him for a second. Why did she even bother to save him? Robbing the drug store was a stupid idea. Still, she wasn't sure that she wanted him to _die._ She pressed the button and all of the car's doors unlocked.

"You've got no idea what I know how to do and I don't think you want me to show you." His eyes narrowed.

"Oh, is that a warning I hear?" She raised her eyebrows, looking at him without fear in her eyes. John just shook his head. Arguing with her was pointless, and she deserved to be treated decently since she saved him from a death by bullet. "Now, come on. We need to ditch the car."

He could agree with that. People were looking for two mutants in a cop car. Then again, they could just as easily get caught as they were out in the open for all to see. True, their mutations didn't affect their appearance like Mystique's or Beast's, but people were wary, watching over anyone who seemed a little bit off.

Kitty hopped out first, drumming her fingers on the hood of the car as she waited impatiently for John to get out, as well. He took his time, stepping onto the side of the road and shutting the cop car's door.

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" He looked at Kitty, walking around to her side of the car.

"No," She confessed with a shrug. "Not really." This didn't exactly instill confidence in John's mind, but he kept silent, only showing his uneasiness with the situation with a slight grimace on his face. This was the first time he'd ever done anything dangerous without someone watching his back and participating with him. Even when he'd thrown fire at the clinic giving away the mutant cure there had been members of the Brotherhood standing by, ready to help him with anything he might need assistance with. Now the Brotherhood had disbanded, leaving John without food or a roof over his head. All he had was his fire, now. Well, his fire and apparently the assistance of one of the X-Men… It was hard to believe, but there she was, in the flesh. He would never let it show, but he was grateful for her having saved his life.

"What next?" He stood by her, waiting for whatever she'd had planned for their next move.

"I guess we find you a hide-out." She began walking towards wherever the road would lead them. John caught up with her, walking at her side.

"_Me?_" The question left Kitty confused. She wrinkled her eyebrows and looked to John curiously.

"Yeah, you." Her pace slowed and she turned to face him. "Who else?"

"You're an accessory, Kitty. I couldn't have escaped without you." It was hard for someone as self-centered as John to admit that someone else had had to help him out with anything, even armed robbery. Kitty laughed, but with some thought the laughter was cut short. He was right.

"Shit." She whispered the word, instantly tensing her entire body. Her eyes darted from one direction to another.

"Ease up, Kitten. You drove us away from danger. We've got some time before they catch up." He put a hand on her shoulder without thinking, trying to keep his accomplice calm.

" _Don't_ call me 'Kitten', John." She looked at him, her eyes narrowed into angry slits. Her pace quickened to a brisk walk and she gestured for John to keep up with her. They walked a few yards together in complete silence. The road Kitty had driven them on had come to an area that seemed to be void of civilization. All around them were trees and wildflowers with the occasional 'Deer Crossing' sign posted. She couldn't decide whether the lack of people was a good or bad thing. On one hand, no one was around to finger them for the crime. There were no cops to shoot hastily at the pair of mutants. On the other hand, there was nowhere to hide. No dingy motel to duck and cover inside… Her mind was going crazy with ideas and at the same time she kept scolding herself for helping out one of her enemies. Even with all of that mental turmoil, Kitty managed to stay silent.

John, however, was waiting for a chance to talk to her. His eyes kept darting from the horizon to her face, reading whatever look she was currently giving. He'd never really talked to Kitty all that much when they'd attended school at Xavier's mansion. He barely knew anything about her. There were only a few things he was certain of. Firstly, she was a nerd. He could depend on her to cheat off of whenever Xavier wasn't looking. Second, or maybe just a deviation of the first thing, she was good with technology. John's philosophy regarding technology was that if it was broken all it really needed was a hard swat and eventually it would get back to working properly. She knew the inner workings of most gadgets and she was good at repairing them. Last, she may have had spunk, but she was sensitive. She handled it well, but he could see it in her.

"We make a good team." He stated simply. Kitty hesitated before responding. Yeah, they kind of did make a good team, didn't they? But it bothered her to agree with that statement. She shook her head emphatically and looked up at John with wrinkled eyebrows. She didn't say anything at all, she just shook her head.

"Aw, c'mon. I scared them with the fire and you made a clean getaway for us both." He smiled like committing a crime was a good thing. Kitty just shook her head again, feeling guilty for having taken part in anything illegal. It wasn't just illegal but also against her morals and everything Professor Xavier had taught either of them. It was wrong to use one's powers so carelessly and for all the wrong purposes. Kitty was more conscious of that fact than John was but he was aware of what he'd done.

"I didn't mean to make a 'getaway'." She made quotation marks with her fingers. "I meant to _save your life."_ Kitty sighed and looked up at John.

"Thanks." Although he said it without much emotion in his voice, it still meant a lot. Especially considering that John hardly ever thanked anyone for anything… Kitty knew that flaw in his personality and recognized his gratitude as a rare little gem that would probably not occur again for quite some time.

They walked and walked until it felt like someone had been hammering away at the soles of their feet. Kitty felt it most because she hadn't dressed to go hiking. She had worn platform shoes, thinking that she was being trendy and would fit into the crowd of fashionistas at the shopping mall. Robbing a drug store, and she _had_ been part of the robbery even if she kept trying to convince herself that she wasn't, had been the furthest thing from her mind that morning when she dressed herself.

"Hey," He elbowed her gently, pointing down the highway to a road that forked off of the one they were walking on. "Ever been there?"

"Nope," She shook her head and stopped in her tracks for a moment, trying to filter the light out of her eyes so she could get a clear glimpse of the dirt road ahead.

"We're going to have to stop _somewhere_." John stopped next to her. "Give it a shot." He looked at her and she hung back, trying to decide if this was really what she wanted. She could turn John in in hopes that the police would show _her_ leniency. They would go easy on her if she helped them out. Somehow, even with Kitty's strong sense of morals, this idea totally turned her off. No, she wouldn't turn John into the cops. She would stick things out with him. It was the point of no return, now, and she had no desire to go back.

---

Kitty drank from the water fountain inside the old, musty smelling motel like she'd gone days without anything to drink. With only the old motel owner and John around she didn't bother to sip the water. She made loud slurping noises as she quenched her thirst, finally looking up at the old man and John who eyed her like she was completely rude.

"Sorry," She whispered, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. John stepped up to the counter.

"We need a room." Kitty's eyebrows raised. _A_ room…? Didn't he mean _two_ rooms? But she kept quiet, deciding that one of them could sleep on the floor.

"Now," The crotchety, cantankerous old man leaned forward, eyeing the two young individuals who stood in front of his counter. "This ain't no pay-by-the-minute cheap place for you two t'get yer jollies on, y'hear me? This is a _lee-git-a-mate_ business an' we cater to families, y'got that? There'll be no prom-night-adventures goin' on in any of my rooms. Ya understand all that?" He looked at Kitty and John who nodded with their eyes wide open. Oh, god, did the owner really think that they had just been looking for a place to 'get their jollies on'?

"Good." The owner nodded, reaching under the counter for a set of room keys and setting said keys on the counter for the taking. "Fer the night it'll be seventy-five."

Kitty didn't respond. She was too busy eyeing the unattractive stubble on the man's face along with his two gold teeth. She felt like she was seeing a pirate or something.

John answered after a pause. "Seventy-five dollars?"

"Naw, seventy-five longhorn cattle." The man crossed his arms looking as crabby as ever. "Of _course _seventy-five dollars." He narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to John. "Y'got seventy-five dollars, young'un?"

"Sure." John reached into his hoodie's pocket with an air of cockiness. If he hadn't been elbowed sharply in the side by Kitty he would have counted all of the stolen money right out in the open. Instead, he took out a few bills and pulled $75 out from the bunch, sliding it to the motel owner on the counter.

"Alright," The man sniffled loudly, stirring up _something_ rather disgusting inside his nose. Kitty wrinkled up her face in distaste.

"Room 110. It's on th'far end. Cain't get lost in a place this small, eh?" The man laughed heartily 'til he burst into a coughing fit. It was clear that this guy had seen better days.

"Thank you, sir." Kitty spoke meekly, smiling a little at the owner before taking the keys and walking back out the door they'd came in. John followed close behind and as soon as they were out of sight he burst into a laughing fit, trying to muffle the noises he made by clenching a hand over his mouth. Kitty smiled and then her smile turned into a big, toothy grin, but she managed to keep from laughing.

"God, you're going to owe me big-time for this, John."


	2. A Night in a Trashy Motel

-1Ororo Munroe looked up at the sound of the mansion's phone ringing. It had been a dull day and she welcomed anything interesting that might cure her boredom.

"Hello?" She spoke into the phone.

"_Ororo?"_ She identified the voice as belonging to Hank McCoy.

"Hank," She smiled, speaking in a pleasant tone of voice. "How's it going?"

"Not too good, I'm afraid. You should turn on the local news." Her stomach sunk when she heard him. It was the way he spoke. She knew that it was certain to be bad news. She walked briskly into the television room of the mansion, snatching up the remote control that rested on the arm of the sofa. She hurried, pressing the buttons and changing the channel to a local news network.

"_Just as soon as we thought the mutant threat had died down we were proven wrong. Today, the Walgreens' drug store on the corner of Regal and England was robbed by a pair of young mutants, one wielding handfuls of fire and the other passing right through the police who'd been called to the scene. We do have video from the store's security cameras, we'll show you that right now."_

Ororo's eyes opened wide in shock, not at the sight of John but upon seeing Kitty Pryde. She'd known that the girl had been bothered lately but she never imagined that her troubles would drive her to commit a violent crime. She suspected that she didn't know the whole story and she tried to convince herself that her motives were good, that she hadn't done something wrong just because she wanted to cause trouble.

"Hank, what'll we do?" She practically whispered into the phone.

"We have to find _them _before the police do. Who knows how they'll treat someone they consider to be a violent mutant?" Ororo frowned, the question echoing in her mind. She knew how humans reacted to something that scared them so much. They reacted violently and without conscience.

"How _can_ we? Only the professor can use Cerebro and he's…" She trailed off, but Hank knew what she meant to say. The Professor was dead.

"There is a certain mutant floating around in the Los Angeles area, one who you almost killed, Ororo." She hesitated for a moment. You would think that nearly killing someone would stick their name permanently in her mind, but her mind was hazy with all of the trouble going on. It must have been thirty seconds before she murmured the girl's code name.

"Callisto." Callisto would be able to locate John and Kitty. She'd done it before when she'd located Mystique, Ororo knew that much.

"I'll have my driver take me to the mansion. I'll be there as soon as possible and then we can take the Blackbird. Time is of the essence." She nodded even though he couldn't see her gestures.

"I'll see you soon, Hank." And they hung up, both John and Kitty's fates ultimately resting in their hands.

------

"_The mutants used the names 'Kitty' and 'John' while robbing the drug store. If you've seen either of these two mutants please do not start a conflict with them. They are dangerous and almost certain to kill."_

Kitty sat on the edge of the bed with the television on, her mouth hanging open in surprise. She didn't say anything to John because she knew how he felt about what had happened. He was _proud_. He had successfully committed a crime and he was glad about it. Kitty just couldn't understand how a person could feel that way.

"_People are calling this dangerous duo the mutant Bonnie and Clyde, suspecting that this will not be their last crime."_

"You hear that?" John flicked his lighter on, pointing to the screen.

"Oh, give me a break." Kitty rolled her eyes. "We're _nothing_ like Bonnie and Clyde."

"You keep telling yourself that, Kitten." He flicked his Zippo lighter shut once more, smirking at Kitty with mischief in his eyes. She just huffed, looking at him angrily.

"You do know that Clyde had problems getting it up, right?" His smirk faded partially because she was insinuating he had problems below the belt and partially because he was shocked. He had never thought he'd ever hear Kitty use the phrase 'getting it up.'

"And besides that, there's no honor in committing crime. It's stupid and wrong." She turned off the television, not wanting to hear any more. They were making her out to be equally as evil as John. They made it sound like they were a team of sorts. It made her a little angry.

"We're superior to the humans, Kitty." He tucked his Zippo into his pants pocket. "It's a fact of life. It shouldn't be a crime to take what we deserve."

"It's wrong to hurt people, John." She was tired and her voice lacked passion, but he knew that she meant what she was saying.

"Retribution isn't wrong." He was perfectly calm, not saying the words out of anger but instead staying composed and debating with her. "After all the human race has done to mutants, reprisal like this is to be expected."

"Sometimes," Kitty laid back on the bed, turning her body so that she was resting on her side and looking right at John who sat in the cheap armchair beside the bed. "Sometimes you've got to do what's not expected. Prove people wrong and show that you're something special."

"I don't need to prove anything." He crossed his arms stubbornly. Kitty didn't argue with that. It was the truth. No one really needed to prove anything, it was a completely voluntary thing. Anyway, she was just too tired to tell John that he was a good person inside. She was far too tired to tell him that she knew he deserved a second chance.

"Who gets the bed?" She rubbed her eyes. Stretching out her arms in front of her she yawned softly.

"You take it. I'm staying awake for now." Kitty nodded appreciatively. Instead of lying back down, she stood.

"Hide your eyes." She commanded, peering at John from over her shoulder.

"What-- You're not taking your clothes off, are you?" He eyed her from her head to her toes, secretly wondering what she looked like under all of her baggy clothing.

"Just the jeans, John. Now either turn or hide your eyes but do _not_ look in this direction." She turned away from him, peeking over her shoulder to make sure that he wasn't looking before she did any unbuttoning. Satisfied, she unzipped and slid the jeans off of her hips and kicked them a foot or two from the bed. She peeled down the bed's comforter and sat down on the mattress.

John heard the mattress' springs make a barely audible creaking and turned back to watch the television, catching a glimpse of Kitty's bare legs in the process. Of course, she gasped and pulled the covers to her chin the moment she saw this.

"I _told_ you not to look!" She blushed. Kitty was an attractive, petite sort of girl. She worked out in the Danger Room constantly and she had muscle tone to show it which made her insecurities all the more ridiculous. John just laughed at her.

"Kitty, relax. I didn't see anything." Okay, so that was a lie but it was one Kitty could believe. She calmed down, tugging the sheets down to her waist and turning to lay on her side, facing John.

"Why did you rob the drug store?" She propped her head up on her hand, looking at him curiously. He seemed to tense up immediately after she'd asked the question, only causing her curiosity to increase.

"'Cause I don't have everything handed out to me like you do." He spat out the words bitterly even though she didn't really deserve his anger. "And eventually, when you don't have people feeding you, you get hungry."

"There's gotta be another way." She shook her head. There was a long pause, at least five minutes in length, and then she spoke again. "Come back to the school."

"What!" John looked at her incredulously. "No. No way am I ever going back to that place."

"Why not? The people there love you, you know." She smiled faintly, a smile of sympathy for all of his pain, but she couldn't help but wonder how much of that pain John had brought on himself.

"Do they?" That same bitter tone came back in his voice. "Do they still love me after I tried to kill them? Because that makes them _fools_, Kitty. It makes _you_ a fool." He gritted his teeth, clenching his jaw shut as tightly as it would go.

"No." She wrinkled her eyebrows, looking a little hurt by his words. Seeing her face made him wish for a brief moment that he hadn't said such things, but his unapologetic streak surfaced again and he refused to apologize. "No, I'm not a fool. You went down the wrong path, I know that, but you're still…" She sighed, trailing off for a moment. "You still deserve a second chance."

"I'm tired." John muttered. "Mind if I sleep on top of the blankets?" He stretched out his arms in front of him until one of his joints made a soft popping noise.

"Yeah, sure…" She practically whispered the words. Part of her was glad that he'd changed the subject. Things were getting tense, after all, and this wasn't the best time to have an argument. An even bigger part of her wished that the conversation had continued and gone a different way. She wished that he would have heard her suggestion, that he believed that everyone still cared a great deal about him. Truthfully, Kitty knew that, if he wasn't already, he was damn close to being past the point of redemption and she knew that he knew it as well.

Kitty straightened out the covers and John climbed onto the bed. She moved towards her edge of the mattress to give him more room on his side. He punched his pillow a few times, presumably to make it more comfortable, and laid down facing away from Kitty. She stared at the back of his head for a while, leaning in to sniff his hair when her curiosity got the best of her, then drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

----

"Why's she gonna help _us_, is what I'd like to know." Logan looked around for any sign of Callisto.

"We'll give her a few reasons." Ororo smirked a little, also scanning the area. They'd been tipped off that a girl with facial tattoos and a big omega symbol inked on her chest had been staying in the general vicinity. Lucky for them Hank had sources who could provide said information.

The three of them stood out as they walked around the back alleyways of downtown Los Angeles. Sensible people didn't hang out around there, but the trio wasn't ordinary. They could fight back twice as hard as any assailant if they were provoked.

"There," Hank spoke with a softened voice, pointing with his furry blue index finger to a sleeping figure beside a trash bin. It was a girl with olive skin and dark hair. They couldn't see any tattoos from where they stood but with a few steps she came into focus. It was Callisto, asleep and surprisingly off-guard. They'd expected members of the Brotherhood to be with her. They'd expected a fight. There was no sign of Arclight or Quill. Nobody but Callisto…

"Hey," Logan raised his voice, speaking in a harsh tone, and kicked the sleeping form with his boot. "Wake up."

The girl rolled over to look him in the eye, gasping a little as she realized who it was. She hopped to her feet, making an attempt to run away with her super-agility, but ran right into the arms of Hank McCoy, a man who could definitely hold her still.

"What?" She hissed, looking at each member of the trio. "What could you possibly want?"

"We need you to locate a mutant." Ororo maintained her calm as she spoke to the girl.

"Why should I help _you_?" Callisto's eyes narrowed hatefully at the people she'd fought against not very long ago.

"'Cause," Logan showed his adamantium claws. "You really don't wanna face the alternative."

Callisto sneered. She tried to appear strong and unfazed by his threats, but she was caught. She was outnumbered and there was little hope of her winning a fight against these three. It went against her principles to help the X-Men, but she wanted to get out of the situation unharmed.

"Fine." She tried to shake free of Hank's grip but he held her shoulders tightly with his gigantic hands. "Who is it?"

----

The old motel owner tucked a chunk of chewing tobacco on the inside of his lip, licking his lips and enjoying a taste most people would find grotesque. He really wasn't the most pleasant looking, or smelling, guy around. It was no surprise that he'd given Kitty a slight case of the heebie jeebies.

He sat on an old wooden chair that looked like it could crumble beneath his weight at any moment, his eyes glued to the television. The evening news was supposed to be over and his reruns of the national poker tournament were due to air, but there was a very annoying news bulletin showing in its place.

"_Two young adult mutants, one boy who is believed to have control over fire and one girl who can pass through solid matter, are on the run. These are pictures of the two of them taken from the security camera of the drug store they robbed. They are using the names or aliases 'Kitty' and 'John'. Please do not corner or threaten these mutants as they are very dangerous and unpredictable. Simply call the police hotline shown at the bottom of the screen and stay calm."_

The man's jaw dropped open, a grotesque and slimy chunk of tobacco falling from his mouth to the wooden floor. Seconds after the newscaster had finished, something clicked in his mind. Those faces, they looked awfully familiar…

He picked up his old rotary phone, dialing the hotline number as quickly as possible.

"_Hello, police tip-line, do you have anything you would like to report?"_

"Yes," He spoke in his hillbilly accented voice. "I think I've found the two mutants you showed on yer television show."


	3. Rescue Gone Wrong

John woke to the sound of Kitty snoring softly in his ear. He felt her breath tickle the skin on his earlobe, turning his head slightly to look her in the face. Somehow, during the two or three hours they'd been sleeping, she'd curled up right behind him, her arm slung over his shoulder. He didn't know it, but that's how she slept when she was younger with her giant stuffed teddy bear. Now it seemed that I he /I was her teddy bear. It said a lot that he didn't wiggle out of the embrace.

But just a decibel or two louder than the snoring was something else coming from outside the window. He opened his eyes and tried to wake up so that he could figure out what was happening. Life as a fugitive required being on his toes at all times, even when he wanted to be fast asleep. He saw a silhouette through the cheap curtains - a man holding something that could have been a gun.

John bolted up and woke Kitty from her slumber in the process. She snorted loudly one last time before opening her eyes.

"What…" She blinked drowsily, lifting her head off of the pillow. "What's wrong?" She asked in a sleepy voice.

"Shh. I think someone's found us." John slung his legs off the side of the mattress. Kitty followed suit, peeling the comforter and sheets off of her legs and standing up. She'd never had to run from the law before she met John. It was exhilarating and bothersome at the same time, leaving her unsure if she should thank John or cuss him out and slap him hard across his smirking face.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up out of fear and anxiety. It was easy to hear voices outside of their motel room. The night was quiet and even the softest of whispers seemed a scream.

Kitty tiptoed over to John's side of the bed, ready to grab him in case of any gunfire. She put a hand on his shoulder and stood behind him. She would fight if she needed to, but she felt safer there with him in front of her.

Suddenly, and it caught both of them by surprise, the door was broken down with a loud noise. John pulled his lighter out and in one fluid motion he threw a ball of flame at the intruder. Kitty gripped John's shoulder tightly, making him just as intangible as she was. They were under attack now.

"Give yourselves up! We've got the numbers." Soldiers crept into the room wielding their gigantic guns as if that could stop Kitty and John. The two of them were barely even intimidated by the threat, but one question echoed in their minds - Where did they have to go?

Just as Kitty was about to give up and turn herself and her partner in crime into the police, the noise of a helicopter gradually became louder and louder until it even overwhelmed the officer's pleas.

Was it the X-Men? She wondered. No, the X-Men had the Blackbird. It was stealthy and they wouldn't have heard _it_ coming.

The two of them looked out the gaping entrance where the door once stood. The helicopter landed, making those inside it easy to see from where Kitty and John stood. Piloting the helicopter was Jamie Madrox and seated behind him was none other than Magneto, dorky helmet included.

John was thrilled. His old mentor was back in the groove of things, possibly even with his powers back. He hoped that this was the case.

Kitty's faced paled. Although John claimed to be the worst mutant out there, Kitty knew that Magneto held that title. He was evil and cruel and she hated and feared him with every fiber of her body.

John, welcoming his mentor's assistance in escaping the police, knew that it was just a matter of getting from the door to the helicopter. This would be easy considering that Kitty's grasp made him intangible and allowed the bullets to simply pass through him, but he wanted to go out in a blaze. He flicked his lighter, feeding the flame, and he threw the ball of fire at the front line of policemen. It hit the spot perfectly, singeing the hair of the lucky ones and severely burning the others. He threw another one, burning even more of those who were so keen on capturing him, but before he could throw a third Kitty pulled his arm back to his side. She looked at him with her eyes, those eyes that he couldn't resist, and he stopped his fierce attack for the moment.

But where else did they have to go? They didn't know when the X-Men would arrive if they were even coming. Kitty faced a moral dilemma. She had two obvious choices at the moment. One was that she should stay and face the consequences of her helping John evade the law. She might be treated cruelly, hurt even, and she would be at the mercy of the gun-wielding men who hated her only because she wasn't human.

The other option was the one she felt horrible about even thinking of. She could go with John, running from the law forever and in the process avoid punishment. To have done something illegal and gotten away without any sort of penalty was a rush, even for a good girl like Kitty.

Lost in her thoughts, Kitty became tangible for a moment and that was all the time an officer needed to fire at her. Kitty was really caught off guard as the bullet pierced her right shoulder and another soon after pierced her right thigh. She winced and then yelped, the sharp pain too much for her to handle. She fell right into John's arms, looking up at him with tears in her eyes which began to roll down her cheeks.

That was too much. John held her close, but with a free time he threw a gigantic ball of flame at the man who'd wounded Kitty. Seeing her hurting caused him pain as well.

She tried to stay awake, making both her and John intangible once more. He lifted her into his arms, running through the bullets and the gun-wielding police, right up into the helicopter. Kitty protested in a soft mumble, not really wanting to accept help by one of the most evil mutants in the world, but her she blinked drowsily and soon found herself unconscious.

* * *

"We're too late." Logan looked at the surroundings as he stepped out of the Blackbird jet. Ororo followed him, looking around at the carnage that surrounded them. The vast majority of police were lying on the ground, severely burned and crying out in pain.

"Kitty couldn't have been a part of this." She whispered. "She couldn't do this."

Logan, though, silently acknowledged the possibility that the sweet girl they'd all known might have snapped. Who knew what she would do under the influence of John Allerdyce? He kept his doubts to himself.

"Look around, they might still be here." Logan walked over to the smashed up motel room's door, kicking a shard of wood aside so he could step inside. Other than being incredibly cheap, musty, and old, nothing seemed wrong. What had he expected, though? That there would be some sort of clue as to what had happened? No, life is never that easy. Answers aren't always given freely. Sometimes you have to _work_ to find them.

"You see anything…?" Ororo poked her head inside the busted down doorway.

"Nothing." Logan grunted, eyeing the room one more time before turning to exit after Ororo.

"'Ro…" She stopped in her tracks, turning to face him. "Maybe we should just let her go."

Ororo's eyes widened, her jaw dropping open slightly in shock. She put her hands on her hips and glared at Logan.

"She's one of us, Logan, and last I checked we never just leave one of our own behind. Not even if she's made a mistake" She shook her head, brushing past Logan and boarding the Blackbird once more.

"She's made one hell of a mistake." He muttered, a scowl on his face. Logan believed in family just as much as the next person and he was aware that, for some of the mutants staying at the mansion, the X-Men were the only family they had. He wasn't one to just up and disown someone, but a part of him felt like everything that had happened in the past few days was leading right up to that - Kitty being disowned. She was like John in that she'd made a mistake. He had switched sides completely, though. _That's_ what made him deserve to be kicked out of their family. He couldn't help but wonder if Kitty was doing what he'd done - switched sides. He didn't pray a whole lot being an agnostic when it came to religion, but he was praying at that moment that Kitty would see the light.

* * *

Kitty kept her eyes closed as she woke up. The air around her was cold and through her shut eyelids she could see a bright light. She blinked slowly and found herself looking up at a fluorescent light. The smell all around her was sterile and reminded her of hospitals. Was that where she was?

Eventually she became aware of the wounds in her shoulder and thigh, wincing just a little as the pain returned. She sat up slowly, gently holding her shoulder with her left hand.

Her eyes adjusted to the bright lights and soon she was looking at her surroundings with wide-open eyes. It certainly wasn't the motel, confirming that all she'd been through with the police wasn't a dream. Then she remembered, though her memory was hazy, that John had carried her somewhere.

John… Where was he? Her eyes darted from one corner of the room to another. If her leg hadn't been hurting her she would have hopped to her feet and done some investigating.

Suddenly, the shiny metal door opened to reveal a familiar face.

"Katherine Pryde," Magneto said her name with a smile that pissed her off. "You are one of the last people I would imagine assisting a criminal."

She stayed silent. She had a million replies that she could have shared with the man but instead she chose to stare at him silently with an angry look on her face. Kitty didn't think of John as a criminal. He was stealing for survival, wasn't he? It seemed ridiculous that Kitty should be siding with John Allerdyce, but she was. She'd stand up for him if she needed to.

"Well," Magneto took a step towards the cot Kitty laid upon. "Your wounds should be healing. We removed the bullets, stopped the bleeding, and stitched you up right as rain." He smiled.

"I don't need your help." She growled.

"A simple 'thank you' would have done just fine." He smirked. "You're safe here, Kitty, and welcome to stay if you wish." He went to make his exit, turning to face Kitty one last time before tagging on a warning to the welcome. "Don't do anything foolish."

Just as Magneto left Kitty's new room, John brushed by him making his own entrance, looking at Kitty with a concerned expression on his face. He would never own up to the fact that he'd been worried sick the moment he saw blood seep through her white, long-sleeved t-shirt. That just wasn't his style. It didn't mean that he cared any less, of course. Even _he_ had a heart.

"You're awake." He looked relieved.

"Yeah," Kitty paused, taking in a slow deep breath. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Because they would have killed you…?" John raised his voice at the end of the statement so it sounded more like a question than an answer. He was caught off-guard by her question.

"Why did you bring me _here_, is what I meant to ask." She looked him in the eyes. It was clear that in those few seconds of silence he'd been fumbling around his mind trying to find an adequate answer.

"Where else could we go?" He raised his eyebrows, certain that the Brotherhood's base of operations was the safest place. "We could have stayed, turning ourselves in and accepting punishment dished out by people who hate our kind. We could have gone back to your stupid school where they would have inevitably turned us in sooner or later. There was _nowhere_ else for me to take you." He huffed, turning towards the door. For a moment Kitty thought that he would make his exit on that note. He seemed angry that she'd questioned his choices. She felt he'd made the wrong decision, but she kept her mouth shut about it as he _did _rescue her. She owed him a little respect and maybe a little kindness. John turned back to face her, though, and they just sort of sat there in the silence for a little bit.

Kitty finally stood and winced as she put weight on her injured leg. _"Shit"_ She whispered, biting the inside of her lip.

"You okay…?" John asked hesitantly, not very eager to earn a reputation as someone who cared about others. He preferred to remain an island and he couldn't do that if he gave a damn.

"No," She spoke honestly, laughing after she'd answered him. "Just got shot by a bunch of anti-mutant police… That's not okay." She smirked, shaking her head.

"You need to sit down."

"I've spent too long in this bed." She patted the thin mattress of the cot.

"You've only been here a few hours, Kitty. I think you could stand being bedridden for a while longer." He took a few steps closer to her, offering his arm and his services as a human crutch.

"You're not being an asshole." She looked up at him, a look of near-confusion on her face. "Why?"

John responded with laughter, but it faded once he was certain the question was asked seriously.

"I guess because you saved me. Not that I couldn't have managed on my own…"

"_Riiiight."_ Kitty laughed this time. "You could have managed just fine on your own. What, with the bullets being fired at you and nowhere to run… Yeah."

"I could have done fine." He spoke in a tiny voice that amused Kitty, but she finally let up.

"I know." She smiled at him warmly. "What do you guys eat around here?"

"This way," John held up her weight and walked slowly as he served as her crutch. She limped along with him out of her room, into a common area of the hideout. Kitty tried to convince herself that she'd only stay there until the hype from the robbery died down, but she was getting more and more comfortable there than she'd ever thought she would.


	4. Come Undone

"Nice legs," Jamie snickered, his eyes scanning Kitty's body from hip to toe. She practically growled, nearly lunging to attack him, but John held her back as gently as he could, sick of fighting at the moment.

"Lay off, Madrox." John grumbled, his grip on Kitty's shoulders loosening until his hands just sort of rested in that space between her neck and shoulders. Kitty shook free, giving Jamie the meanest stare she'd ever given a heckler before.

"Keep looking, asshole, 'cause you're never gonna even get _close_ to touching." She gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowed into hostile little slits. John muffled his laughter, secretly admiring her spunky attitude. Jamie shrugged with a goofy smile on his face.

"Hey, man, just admiring the scenery." He laughed softly, turning and making his exit, leaving a scowling Kitty behind.

"He's just an ass sometimes." John took her hand in his. "You'll get used to him." He took a few steps towards the room that served as a sort of a mess hall, but stopped when he realized that Kitty was staying put right where she stood.

"I'm not getting used to _anything_ around here, John." She didn't speak with anger in her voice. It was dead calm and not meant to upset him. "You should know me better than that."

"Yeah," John shook his head. "It's just…" He looked into her eyes, smiling so very faintly. "It's not permanent. It's just until all of the hype over the robbery dies down." She nodded in agreement even though what she really wanted was to be back at the mansion that very second. She wasn't going to say that she wanted him there with her, either. Some things are best left unsaid.

"What's so bad about staying here, anyway?" Things like _that_ are best left unsaid. It was too late, though, and Kitty snapped at him. She huffed, crossing her arms and then gingerly uncrossing them as said action made the shoulder wound hurt more.

"What's so _great_ about staying here, John? Hmm?" She raised her eyebrows and spoke again before he had a chance to respond. "You're around really, truly evil people who are just I using you /I as a weapon." With that, John looked hurt.

_We're a team, Kitty and me…_ He repeated that thought over and over again in his mind. She'd saved his life and he'd saved hers. Normally he would have abandoned her and called it even, but he felt an inexplicable need to stay by her side.

"John," She recognized his expression, immediately feeling bad for insulting the only real family John had anymore. "I'm sorry. I just…" I worry about you. She thought, leaving that bit out of the conversation.

"No sweat, Kitten." He looked down at her with an honest smile on his face. "Now let's get something to eat." He nodded in the direction of the mess hall.

* * *

"Is there anything to eat that doesn't come from a can?" Kitty scrunched up her face, complaining about the selection of food.

"We've got…" John sorted through a cabinet. "Chicken noodle soup, tuna, mushroom soup, more tuna…"

"So that's a 'no' then?" She sighed, leaning onto the counter.

"Oh, wait." She looked up at the cabinet at John who'd apparently discovered something other than soup or tuna. "We've also got sweet corn." Kitty's mouth dropped open and she shook her head.

"I'll take the chicken noodle soup." Kitty grumbled but smiled playfully up at her partner in crime. John nodded to her, also smiling a little bit. He grabbed a can-opener from a random drawer and opened the container of soup with a little effort. He flicked his lighter on and held the flame over the soup for a little bit.

"You're gonna have to drink it. I don't remember there being any spoons around here." Kitty frowned a little. If they'd gone to hide out at the mansion they would have had a whole kitchen of ingredients at their disposal. They could have had ice cream, but instead they were stuck between various cans of food and Kitty never really liked things that came from a can.

Kitty reached out hesitantly, afraid that John's flame had heated the metal of the can enough to make it burn to the touch. She took the can in her hand and sipped at the broth, flinching a little as the too-hot liquid burned down her throat. It had been about two days since she'd eaten, though, so she blew on the soup as if it would make any difference at all.

"Aren't you eating?" She looked up at John, taking another drink of soup.

"Not hungry. Maybe later." He shrugged and pulled up a stool next to the one Kitty stood on, taking a seat and propping his arms up on the counter.

"I've got a question." He leaned a bit closer to her.

"Shoot." She set down the soup, looking intently at him.

"Why were you out all on your own?" Kitty chose to take this as an insult.

"What do you mean?" She narrowed her eyes. "Poor little Kitty can't manage on her own without a chaperone? I go places on my own all of the time." She took a gulp of soup, wincing again as it scalded her sensitive throat.

"Heyyy." He laughed a little, holding up his hands. "I'm not insinuating that you can't manage on your own. You just never really strayed from the mansion before unless one of the professors dragged the students out into the real world. I know you can manage. It's just… Strange."

Kitty sighed, pushing her soup away from her so that she would have room to put her arms on the counter.

"Sorry. I just… I'm a little bit high strung right now."

"No sweat." He smiled faintly.

"I was getting away." She confessed with a nod.

"Away from the stressful life in a mansion with everything a person could ask for?" He raised his eyebrows. The question was asked partially because he really was curious as to why she'd want to escape such lush surroundings and partially because he wanted to push her buttons.

"Don't be a jackass, John." She pleaded with a smirk on her face. "I needed to get away from Bobby." Kitty sighed a little.

"What'd he do to you?" Suddenly it looked like John was really angry. She wanted to tell him that she didn't need a big brother out to get anyone who looked at her the wrong way, but Bobby was far away from any threat John posed.

"He…" She paused, trying to figure out how to word it. "He took a piece of my heart and threw it away for…" She _really_ wanted to say 'sex' because that's what it had seemed like, but she chose a more subtle phrasing. "Rogue."

There was a short silence. Kitty was afraid that she'd killed the conversation with her angst. She wanted her time with John to be as pleasant as possible and now she'd caused the mood to take a dive towards depressing. John wasn't sure of how to fill the silence. He wanted to say that Bobby was a dick, that he was just too stupid to see a wonderful girl like Kitty and not fall head-over-heels in love with her, but he didn't want to get emotional or mushy.

"That's stupid." John shook his head. Kitty looked hurt for a second until he clarified. " He was stupid, Kitty, not you."

"Yeah," She murmured. "Maybe."

"No, not 'maybe'. He's an idiot. He leads you on and then when his pathetic girlfriend gets the cure--"

"How'd you know…" It seemed strange to ask John how he knew that Rogue had been cured before scolding him for calling her pathetic, so she trailed off into silence. Rogue was supposed to be like a big sister to Kitty, but their relationship changed so drastically because of Bobby.

"What do you miss most about your old home?" He was caught off-guard by Kitty's completely random question.

"Nothing," He scoffed, crossing his arms and turning on his 'tough guy' façade.

"There's got to be some--" John cut her off.

"I don't want to talk about it, Kitty." Kitty just nodded, respecting his wishes.

"Okay," She smiled warmly, putting a hand on his arm and looking up into his eyes. Something was perfect about that moment, even the coldhearted John Allerdyce could admit that. He was glad that she didn't press him for answers.

"Do you know what I miss most?" Her gaze shifted and she was staring into space.

"No, but I'll bet you're going to tell me." John smirked at her even though she wasn't even looking at him.

"Dance." She nodded. "Definitely dance." A smile formed on her face as she remembered all about her dance classes. The grace she'd shown in countless Danger Room sessions came from hours and hours of practicing her ballet moves. She wasn't exactly a swan but she carried herself with the air of a ballerina. It was one of her strengths.

Suddenly, Kitty reached over to the clock radio that sat below the cabinets of soup and tuna. She turned it on, adjusting the volume so that it wouldn't bother anyone else in the Brotherhood's bunker.

"Kitty, what--" She gently put her fingertips to his lips to silence him for a moment.

"Dance with me." She smiled a little, half afraid that he would make fun of her for even asking. John looked around to make sure that no one was watching. That was all he'd need. Someone to saunter into the mess hall and catch him being I nice /I . He gave in, though. There was that look in her eyes that made him melt and want to make her happy.

"One song," He nodded, sliding off of the stool and offering his arm for the temporarily handicapped Kitty. She stood on her tip-toes, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was awkward for a moment, but they both got into a comfortable position.

_ Mine, immaculate dream, made breath and skin, I've been waiting for you_

Kitty sighed, stepping a little bit closer to John and he did the same, his hands sitting on her petite hips. It was funny how something so strong could seem so delicate. That was how he thought of Kitty. She was a hellcat in battle but so small, so fragile… He couldn't help but want to protect her.

_It'll take a little time, might take a little crime, to come undone._

_We'll try to stay blind, to the hope and fear outside,  
Hey child, stay wilder than the wind  
And blow me in to cry._

They swayed to the gentle music, every so often looking at one another and exchanging a smile. Kitty stepped as close as she could get, resting her head against John's chest. He was taken slightly off-guard by this action, but he welcomed it. It had been so long since someone had embraced and shown affection towards him. His arms pulled her against him and he tilted his head downward so he could breathe in her scent.

His one hand wandered up to the back of her neck, running his fingers through her chocolate brown hair. Who knew that just one dance could be so personal?

_Who do you need?  
Who do you love,  
When you come undone_


	5. The Brotherhood's Scheme

Kitty laid on her cot with a blanket pulled up to her chin. She'd been half-asleep for what seemed like an eternity but was probably only a few hours. It was a new environment there in the Brotherhood's bunker and it wasn't nearly as comfortable as the mansion or even the cheesy motel she'd just escaped from.

The crack beneath her door allowed just enough light in to make shadows and Kitty hated that. She was probably the only little girl who was afraid of her nightlight because it created shadows on the walls. Shadows scared her more than absolute darkness. Funny how that worked out.

But Kitty was jolted out of her mental haze and back into reality as Jamie Madrox burst into her room.

" _What_ are you _doing?_ Get out!" She shrieked, hopping to her feet.

"Sorry I gotta hurt ya, Kitten." He shook his head almost looking sincere which sent a chill down Kitty's spine. Jamie pointed what looked like a gun directly at her and even though she did her best to dodge it she was hit by a tiny dart right in her jugular. Kitty's eyes rolled up into her head and she toppled over, unconscious. She would have fallen down and smacked her head if he hadn't caught her.

Jamie lifted the petite girl into his arms, leaving the room with her.

* * *

Magneto peered into John's room, knocking on the door's frame.

"Pyro," He smiled in his way that was pleasant and unsettling all at once. "It's good to have you back with us."

John didn't really know what to say. He wasn't even really _back_ with the Brotherhood as of yet. He was only staying with them.

"Thank you for rescuing us." He nodded, really meaning it. He may have been wild but he sure didn't want to go out in a blaze with people firing guns at him. At Kitty… He couldn't stand to think that she could have died had Jamie and Magneto not saved them. "Do you…"

"Do I what?" Magneto raised an eyebrow curiously even though he knew what John was getting to.

"Is the cure permanent?" John looked concerned. If the cure wasn't permanent then that would mean Magneto could lead the Brotherhood again. It would seal John's fate as being one of the bad guys. That was thrilling, but he didn't know if it was really what he wanted.

"No," His mentor smiled. "No, it didn't last very long." He sighed. "Of course, it did seem like an eternity, but thank God it's over with."

"Good." John nodded, part relieved and part afraid of what was to come.

"I needed to ask you…" Magneto took a seat on the opposite end of John's cot. He listened intently. "About your friend Katherine."

"Kitty?" His eyebrows raised with a slight smile. "Oh, she's no threat. She'll be alright staying here for a while. Assuming it's okay with you, of course."

"Would you like to have her here with _us_?" I John was almost afraid to ask him what he meant. It sounded sort of diabolical the way he asked the question. He paused for a while, not sure how he should respond.

"It's a simple question. You seem to enjoy her company. Would you like to have her here, working with us?"

"I…" John looked confused but pressed on. "I guess so."

"You guess? I was expecting more enthusiasm from you on this, Pyro. The girl did save your life." He crossed his arms.

"Well, yeah, it'd be good to have her. She's almost indestructible with her phasing and stuff, good with gadgets… She'd never come around, though."

"Wouldn't she?" Those words, the way he said them, sent chills down John's spine. What was he getting at? "I imagine that in a day she'll be happy to join us. Maybe two, but no more than that."

John paled. He had a sinking feeling that wouldn't go away.

"What are you doing with Kitty?"

* * *

Kitty groaned, coming out of the unconsciousness the drug Jamie had given her had induced. She tried to lift her arm to rub the sleep out of her eyes but found herself immobilized, her limbs strapped down to some sort of chair.

"What…" She spoke sleepily, her vision still slightly blurry. "What's going on?" Kitty looked around to see if anyone was there, only to see one smiling face - Jamie Madrox, the asshole who'd put her there.

"What'd you do?" She looked scared. "What's happening?"

Jamie didn't answer. Instead he used a medical apparatus to keep her eyelids from closing. Another machine was wheeled into place. It had a monitor attached to it to display something. Kitty didn't know what, but it frightened her. It wasn't every day she came across technology she wasn't familiar with.

Before she could speak again he popped a foam mouth guard into her mouth so she wouldn't bite her tongue or the inside of her cheek. She couldn't see, but she felt a needle prick her arm, and she drifted into a haze.

----

"Tell me," John pressed, looking his former mentor in the eyes with an angry glare. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, just giving young Katherine a nudge in the right direction. She'll take it from there." He spoke nonchalantly, not even affected by John's rage.

"What are you _doing _ to nudge her in any direction?" His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward, looking like he could attack Magneto if he pissed him off enough.

"Subliminal messages, of course, along with a hypnosis inducing drug. It's quite painless except for the prick of the needle and--"

_"You have I no right to I fuck with her mind!"_ John hopped to his feet, pulling out his Zippo lighter only to have it taken away by Magneto's mind.

"There's no need for such language. You admitted, the girl is quite the weapon. She's capable of phasing through anything. She's nearly indestructible. It would give us the upper hand to have her around." John had never been more pissed in his entire life.

"You can't just go and do that to someone's mind!" John spat the words out in Magneto's face, glaring and clenching his teeth when he was finished.

"Caring so much for _anyone_ is a weakness that you can't afford. She'll be the same when she wakes only with fresh new ideas in her mind. She'll still enjoy your company so there's no need to fret." It was amazing to John how Magneto could stay so calm while spewing such a horrible message from his mouth.

"Where do you have her?" He looked worried sick. Was he too late? Was the Kitty he knew dead and gone replaced with a soldier? Hypnosis would ruin her, kill her spirit, and John couldn't stand that idea.

"Well, I'm not going to tell you. That would undermine the entire process."

"Fuck the process! Where is she?" John got into Magneto's face, his hands becoming tightly formed fists.

"Look for her," Magneto shrugged. "Leave the Brotherhood. Again. Just know that you'll never be welcomed back. We'll consider you as being one of I them /I . One of Charles' precious X-Men."

This created a dilemma. If he left the Brotherhood it was possible that even the benevolent and humane X-Men wouldn't allow him to return. He'd be stuck in limbo all by himself. Even though he enjoyed solitude, the thought of being outnumbered by a group of angry, mutant-hating humans.

But Kitty… He just couldn't stand to let her spirit be crushed just because Magneto wanted her for his own personal weapon.

"I'm gone." He declared, hate in his eyes. He would never be able to forgive Magneto for this. "Give me my lighter." His jaw clenched so tightly.

"Do you really think that I'm going to give you a weapon that you can use against me? I'm not that foolish." John only shook his head, giving Magneto one last glare before making his exit.

The bunker was huge and he didn't have any time to waste. Maybe it was a stupid choice, but he ran towards the room they'd put Kitty up in. He looked in, noticing that her blanket was on the floor, probably pulled there during a struggle. He was paralyzed with fear for a few moments.

He took off, running down one of the many cold stone corridors of the bunker he peeked in the doorways, his heart breaking more and more with every empty room. John needed to find Kitty; he couldn't leave without her. He'd given up his alliance with the Brotherhood for her and she was all he had now.

Soon, he heard a noise, a whimper and followed the faint sound of it. As he got closer and closer he realized that it was Kitty whimpering and it tore out his heart that she was in that situation. It was his fault, wasn't it? He'd accepted Magneto's help expecting it to come for free, but that's never the case when one deals with a super villain.

John burst into the room. He surveyed his surroundings quickly, seeing all of the machinery Kitty was hooked up to.

"Hey, man, you're not supposed to interrupt." Jamie looked at him, leaning against the wall. "You can talk to her in the morning."

"Like hell I will!" John charged at him, knocking him to the ground and punching his face repeatedly until he felt it in his fist. Standing, he spat on Jamie's fallen form, quickly turning his attention to Kitty again.

He gingerly removed the apparatus that held her eyes open and once free she blinked her eyes shut. He unwrapped the restraints on her legs and arms and slid the monitor away from her. She pulled the mouth guard out on her own. Suddenly she began weeping and she clung to John, her whole body trembling with each sob. He held her to his chest, smoothing her disheveled brown hair with his hand, but the moment was short lived.

"Kitty, we need to get out of here." She nodded, her sobs becoming softer. Kitty tried to stand but her legs felt like jelly, no doubt from the hypnosis inducing drug she'd been given. They needed to get out as quickly as possible, so John lifted her into his arms and hurried with her down the corridor

* * *

Kitty blinked drowsily, looking up to see a very concerned John Allerdyce looking at her. She looked around at her surroundings, startled to see several sloppy-looking individuals who really could have used a razor.

"Where are we?" She looked up at John. "Did I have a nightmare?"

"We're squatting. These guys don't mind us being here." Kitty nodded. "And no, it wasn't a nightmare." She closed her eyes, squeezing out a tear or two as her eyelids closed.

"They showed me such horrible things. I can't figure out what their goal was, but I think it was to desensitize me to…" She sighed. "All of that. Violence and death all in the name of mutant rights."

"Try to forget," He frowned, speaking in a soft voice. "Just try to forget." He brushed a strand of hair off of her face, looking in her eyes with sympathy in his own. John wondered how long she'd been tortured like she'd been. It could have been hours and he didn't know what kind of effect several hours of subliminal messaging and mental reprogramming would have on someone like Kitty. He hoped that she still clung to the person inside he cared for, that she hadn't become a mere weapon for Magneto's use against human-kind.

"How did you find me?" She whispered, tears still lingering in her eyes.

"I looked and I didn't stop." John took her hand, pulling it to his lips to kiss it. "I'll never let you go again." And he meant that. They were partners in crime, Bonnie and Clyde, maybe even friends… Maybe more than friends. He wasn't sure of what their relationship was but he was certain that he would dedicate his entire being to keeping Kitty safe.


End file.
